As of this past weekend, my husband and I have officially become Lake Cowichan residents. And while I am excited about a mere five minute walk to work, the process has been challenging to say the least.
Moving is never an easy task. I have moved twice in the past year and I hope not to have to do so again for quite some time. I spent most of my life on Salt Spring, and the past eight years in one house, so as you can imagine, having two kids, the accumulation of stuff was quite considerable.
I am now suffering from a severe lack of sleep, have a persistent headache, and my stomach is raging a constant war against me.
To help others who may be in the same situation, I thought I would share a couple of tips I found on the internet.
According to PTSD Support Services, relocation stress can be expressed through headaches, backaches, stomachaches, high blood pressure, and a greater susceptibility to disease and infection.
The site lists gaining a sense of control and taking care of ones self as the top ways in which to cope and recover from moving related stress. Gaining a sense of control includes making lists, planning ahead, prioritizing, and breaking down tasks into manageable parts.
Taking care of ones self includes getting regular exercise (like you don’t get enough while moving), minimizing other stresses, and taking breaks.
Well, I’ll give these suggestions a try, but to be honest I think the biggest relief will come in a months time when our new home is finally in order.
